(File photo)

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 2) — As the country celebrates Women's Month this March, the Palace took the time to address concerns of women's groups calling out President Rodrigo Duterte for his remarks against women.

He said Duterte has been serious in advancing the lives of Filipino women.

Roque enumerated some of the efforts of the President which are "pro-feminist," such as implementing a local version of the Reproductive Health Bill in Davao City before it was legislated nationally, establishing a Women and Children Protection Unit, and recently, as President, upholding a deployment ban to Kuwait to protect overseas Filipino workers, which he said are mostly women.

Roque insisted Davao City, under then Mayor Duterte, was a trailblazer in upholding the rights of women.

Duterte drew flak in numerous occasions from the 2016 election campaign until today for his language towards women. The most recent instance was in a speech before former communist rebels in February 7, where he said female communist rebels should be shot in the vagina.

[Translation: When it comes to policies as mayor, Davao is recognized as one of the friendliest cities to women.]

He also claimed that women in Metro Manila feel safer with the campaign against illegal drugs in place, citing figures from the Philippine National Police that claim the number of rape cases has gone down by 13.53% last year. Roque said this cut the number of rape incidences from 9,384 in 2016 to 8,114 in 2017.

But groups maintain their disfavor for the way the President treats women.